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Voice of America: Prized Tohono O'odham baskets
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment

"Native Americans in the United States have been weaving baskets for centuries. Archeologists have discovered baskets that are thousands of years old. They were used to hold food and other supplies, and for sacred rituals. But many baskets made today are for decoration. The Tohono O'odham in (the southwest state of) Arizona live on the second largest reservation in the U.S. They weave baskets that are prized for their quality.

Rose Martin has inherited a family tradition. "My mother's the one who taught me how to do basketry when I was about 10 years old and gave me that gift to weave," she said.

She and other weavers on the Tohono O'odham reservation in Arizona create some of the best Native American baskets. The intricate, tightly woven baskets feature the colors of plants and grasses in the region.

Rose has won awards for her baskets. She weaves in the same style as her ancestors who lived in the desert and harvested fruit and vegetables.

Some of her baskets have traditional designs, while others contain original patterns.

"And I put a butterfly on here because I feel everything that a woman does is always so beautiful," she explains."

Get the Story:
Native American Tribe Creates Prized Baskets (Voice of America News 11/16)

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